Friday, October 16, 2015

The Guardian of Blackbird Inn Blog Tour and Review

The
Guardian of Blackbird Inn

Kerry
Adrienne

A Wicked Tale

ARe Books

Genre: M/F, Horror/Suspense

About
the Book:

Saving the inn might mean losing
her life.

Sophia Yates travels to the famed
and haunted Blackbird Inn to help its mysterious owner, Garren Amsel, research
its history. The state wants to claim eminent domain and take the property, but
the historical inn has been in Garren’s family for generations and he can’t
bear to lose it.

After learning the truth behind
the inn’s biggest mystery, and why Garren stays, saving Blackbird Inn may cost
Sophia her life. How far will she go to protect him?

Sophia pushed
her rain-soaked hair behind her ears and studied the tall man a moment before
replying. He stared, probably at the frizz her red hair took on when wet.
Either he hadn’t been expecting her, or he wasn’t used to guests at all. Being
that this was a popular tourist inn, she assumed the former.

With his good
looks, he didn’t appear to be the desk clerk type, and he seemed really
uncomfortable, picking at pages on the desk and fidgeting as he talked. A chill
rolled through her and she stepped up to the small registration desk and stuck
her hand out. “Sophia Yates. I’m here to help with the research. Oh, and I have
a reservation.”

“Ah, yes.” He
grasped her hand and squeezed, his gaze lingering on hers a moment. Lightning
flashed outside, illuminating him in blue and searing his image in her mind.
Tall, dark, and mysterious didn’t even begin to cover it. Handsome was too
common a word. The man was divine, his features aquiline and his hair jet
black.

She licked her
lips and pulled her hand from his, certain he’d felt her palms dampen. “And
you?” She fidgeted with the handle of her wheeled suitcase, noting the trail of
water she’d brought in with her.

The storm hadn’t
let up since her bumpy landing in Philly a few hours ago. Good thing the rental
car had fog lights because the remote inn had been difficult to find, even
after stopping for directions in the tiny town nearby.

She looked back
at the man behind the desk. Why wasn’t he answering? He smiled, the sort of
crooked smile a man might give you before he tied you up and…

“Garren.”
Thunder boomed outside, and the vibration traveled through the inn, rattling
the foyer windows. “Garren Amsel. I’m the owner of the inn, but you probably
know that by my name.” He paused. “And I’m the desk clerk, occasionally.” He
pushed his hair out of his eyes.

She shivered.
You’ve been reading too many scary stories. Driving through a thunderstorm to
the rocky inn on the side of a mountain in remote Pennsylvania didn’t help. The
place looked like something straight out of a horror movie, with its stone
façade and overgrown hedges. A movie where the girl dies. “Nice to meet you.” I
think.

“Likewise. I
hope we can get this issue taken care of quickly.” He shuffled a stack of
papers then set them aside. “But I can see you’re cold, and probably exhausted
from travel. Let me show you to a room. If you want some hot tea, I can have it
brought up to you.”

She nodded. Cold
and tired explained her nervousness. That, and a day of traveling. Her unease
had nothing to do with all the research she’d done about how Blackbird Inn was
haunted, or about the disappearance of a young woman almost a hundred years
ago. All stories to drive in business to the isolated inn, she was sure of it.
She was here now on business, nothing more. Not to solve a mystery or be afraid
of a ghost.

It didn’t matter
that Halloween was in two days. The only sign of decorating she’d seen was a
pumpkin and haystack arrangement on the front lawn. The inn didn’t need
anything added to be spooky.

“Arturo Beck
will be in tomorrow night.” She gazed around the small foyer, taking in the
dark woodwork and high ceiling. “I hope we can find something useful before he
gets here.” The inn was over a hundred-fifty years old, but seemed to have been
well maintained. Ancient navy blue silk wallpaper lined the foyer, making it
appear smaller than it actually was, and an antique clock rested against one
wall. In the center of the tall ceiling, a chandelier draped in small crystals
dangled on a lone cord. One bulb was out, and dust concealed the refraction of
the prisms.

“He told me
you’d be here first.”

About
the Author:

Kerry loves history and spends
large amounts of time wondering about people who lived and walked on Earth in
the past. She’s a mom to three daughters, six cats, and various small animals.
Her husband says she’s a marketer’s dream, as she often believes everything she
hears—at least initially. Her shoe horde will attest to her fine shopping
skills.

Her new love is her Mini Cooper
Convertible, Sheldon, and they have already gone on many adventures.

This book reads like a classic horror tale. The kind I used to read like Victoria Holt or Barbara Michaels. When Sophia checks into the Blackbird Inn, she has no way of knowing she is stepping into a nightmare. Ghosts, bad dreams and mysterious things that go bump in the night are woven throughout this tale. Perfect for a cup of tea and a warm blanket. Just don't forget your flashlight.

The spicy tension between the two main characters is great. Love this new line by ARe. Bring on more spooky tales!